


The Professor and the Drag Queen

by Brumeier



Series: Bite Sized Fic 2020 [38]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drag Queens, Established Relationship, M/M, Professors, Prompt Fill, Singing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:01:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24562786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brumeier/pseuds/Brumeier
Summary: LJ Comment Fic for Seventies Music prompt:any, any, dancing queen (abba)In which John goes to see a show and Rodney is feeling a little blue.
Relationships: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard
Series: Bite Sized Fic 2020 [38]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1610332
Comments: 21
Kudos: 63
Collections: Bite Sized Bits of Fic from 2020





	The Professor and the Drag Queen

The Dancing Queen was in full swing when John arrived. Parent-Teacher conferences had run late, and he’d come right from school, still dressed in his navy-blue blazer and tie. Not the usual ensemble he wore for a night out, but he hadn’t had time to swing by the house first.

“Right this way, Professor,” Alejandro said, greeting John just inside the door. John could barely hear him over the blare of the music.

John had his own table close to the stage, where Lola Longbeam was lip-synching along to Meredith Brooks.

_I'm a bitch_   
_I'm a lover_   
_I'm a child_   
_I'm a mother_   
_I'm a sinner_   
_I'm a saint_   
_And I do not feel ashamed_

Alejandro brought John a beer – in a glass, not a bottle – and a turkey sandwich, which wasn’t on the menu but always available for him on a late night. He appreciated it; there was never time to eat with a steady stream of parents coming through the classroom.

He was just finishing his sandwich when the final, and arguably most anticipated, act was announced. He waved Alejandro over for another beer.

“On your feet, ladies, gentleman, and everyone checking the ‘other’ box! Shower your praise and adulation on the one, the only, Lady Meredith!”

John did as instructed, standing and cheering and wolf-whistling louder than anyone. Lady Meredith didn’t exactly glide on stage as she dominated it, every step of those glittering blue heels an exclamation.

Was that a new dress? John didn’t think he’d seen it before. The rhinestone bedazzled blue fabric was very clingy in all the best ways, showing off those broad shoulders and especially Lady Meredith’s ample backside.

No lip-synching for the final act. Lady Meredith did her own singing, in her own husky voice.

_Strumming my pain with his fingers_   
_Singing my life with his words_   
_Killing me softly with his song_   
_Killing me softly with his song_   
_Telling my whole life with his words_   
_Killing me softly with his song_

A moody choice. Usually the final number was something peppier, to get people on their feet, singing and dancing along. No-one was complaining, though. The crowd was entranced, hanging on Lady Meredith’s every note.

_I felt all flushed with fever, embarrassed by the crowd_   
_I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud_   
_I prayed that he would finish but he just kept right on_   
_Strumming my pain with his fingers_

The glitter on Lady Meredith’s cheeks made it look like she was crying. Maybe she was. There was certainly plenty of emotion bleeding through every word, every note. When she finished there was a dead silent pause and then the club erupted in applause, everyone on their feet once again.

John used the ovation as a distraction to slip backstage. Lady Meredith had the largest dressing room, of course, and John made sure there was a glass of chilled water waiting for her when she came in.

“Well?” she asked, heading straight for the water.

“One of your better performances,” John said, lounging on the red velvet chaise. “Any particular reason for the song choice?”

“Just one of those days,” Lady Meredith replied with a sigh. 

John wondered if she’d talked to her sister. That sometimes put her in a melancholy mood. Maybe they’d talk about it later. Maybe they wouldn’t. But John would do his best to lighten her mood, by any means necessary.

Lady Meredith drained the glass and sat at her vanity, staring at herself in the mirror for a long moment before she tugged the curly blonde wig off her head. She began the systematic process of turning back into Rodney McKay, removing the fake eyelashes and cleaning away all the makeup.

“You hungry?” John asked. “We can go to the all-night diner on the way home.”

“We can get something to go,” Rodney said. He changed back into his pants and a tee shirt. “I’d rather just get home.”

John got up off the chaise and gave Rodney a hug, pressing a kiss to his temple. “You sure you’re okay?”

Rodney hugged him back. “I’ll be fine. I just need a hot shower and maybe some Chinese food. Something light.” 

“Sounds good to me,” John replied. There was still glitter on Rodney’s cheeks, and it created a vague ache somewhere beneath John’s breastbone. He kissed Rodney properly this time.

Rodney’s lips quirked up into the beginnings of a smile. “Let’s go home.”

They walked out of the Dancing Queen hand in hand.

**Author's Note:**

>  **AN:** I had the title for this fic long before it was a fic. I was watching an ep of _Property Brothers_ and their clients were a male couple where one of the men was this very monotone, low-key college professor, and the other was a more flamboyant drag queen. When I was contemplating prompts today, this one popped out and demanded to be paired with the title. My intention was to write John as the drag queen, but Rodney decided he wanted to do it instead. So here we are.
> 
> **Song List:**
> 
> [Bitch, Meredith Brooks](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ivt_N2Zcts)   
>  [Killing Me Softly, Roberta Flack](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4A5XuMz_Tw)


End file.
